Gravenhurst Regional Transit
Gravenhurst Regional Transit (GRT, Traditional Chinese: 萬錦巴士; French: Réseau de Transport en Commun de Gravenhurst, RTG), sometimes abbreviated as Gravenhurst Transit (GT), is a public transit operator operating in Gravenhurst Region in the Imaginary Lands of Nicholas. It is formed as an amalgamation of multiple local public transit providers in different cities of the region in 1955. Its headquarters is located in the Gravenhurst Regional Transit Building located at 1214 Nicholas Street in Downtown Archemedes. Overview GRT is established by a private-public partnership (P3) model. While GRT is a subsidiary of the government of Gravenhurst, the service in each division within the transit system is carried out by their respective private company. The government is to monitor the fare, and to plan the routes. Also, the government is responsible for providing funding for purchases of new buses, but the private operators are to pay for the fleet's maintenance cost. Currently, the whole GRT system consists of more than 150 bus routes (not including route branches) servicing the urban areas of the region. The urban areas exclude the Cities of Brock, Mapleview, and Topsity - Zephyr. The service area is roughly 3,500 km². Parts of the GRT system is contracted to other public transit agencies, such as Pickering Transit Route 1 to serve portions of the City of Lisi, and joint operations of GO Shuttles in small communities, where a local route is deemed inappropriate, though a connector route is needed. Such example include GO Shuttle Route 85. The GRT negotiated with the Mapleview Transit (MT) to determine if a merger is possible. Mapleview Transit denied to join the GRT union as of 2010. Divisions of the transit system The GRT system has divisions that reflect the pre-amalgamation structure of public transit in the region. The amalgamation was subsequently created to ensure coherence between different locales in the region, including fare and routing policies. The following is a list of the divisions in the system. All the division's buses uses the facility at the intersection of King Henry Drive and Warshaw - Guelph Line. Due to rapid expansion of the system, GRT is currently constructing another facility in the region. According to one of the recent gNews Newsletter, the GRT officials revealed a new facilty to be built just north of Flanders. It is projected all buses operating east of Highway 3 to be using this facility. Service As of March 2010, there are 144 routes servicing the urban parts of Gravenhurst Region. Fare There are only 2 payment options when riding the GRT, Cash Fare, also known as 1Ride, and gCard Fare. A fare hike was introduced in January 2015. Monthly passes have been abolished in 2013 in favour of the gCard. Customers travelling more than 50 trips a month are eligible for a fare discount or a rebate of balance on the gCard. The current fare scheme is as follows: Zones and Courners).]] There are a total of 20 fare zones in Gravenhurst Region. When a passenger crosses a zone, an applicable zone upgrade charge applies. The number of zones crossed and the applicable fares are automatically calculated on the gCard system. For cash fare, since the zone fare cannot be automatically calculated, the fare to be collected on the bus route is calculated based on the remaining distance left on the route, no matter how far a passenger travels. For example, on Route 1, when the route is operating northbounds in Archemedes, the operator will collect a fare for 2 zones (since the route is bound for a terminus in Zone 2). However, if it is operating southbounds in Archemedes, the operator will only collect a fare for 1 zone since the terminus for the route is in Archemedes (i.e. within the same zone). The zoning scheme is as follows: Staff GRT Staff are employed by their respective private commercial companies. However, they are all expected to wear the GRT uniform while operating a vehicle. Transit enforcement Fare Inspectors and Special Constables patrol the entire transit system for the safety and security of passengers and to ensure compliance with the proof-of-payment system. They make random checks onboard buses to ensure the proper use of tickets, transfers and passes. Customers without valid fares are subject to a warning, an instant fine or a criminal charge. CCTV Cameras Starting in 2007, GRT began installing 150 cameras on GRT. By the end of 2008, there were 210 more cameras added to the system. Programs The following is a list of programs and special services offered by Gravenhurst Regional Transit. * Flag For Stop Program - When a non-express bus route operating in rural areas, and in designated portions of the route, passengers can request the bus to stop at a non-designated stop for embarking and disembarking. * Blue Nite Program - Blue Nite Program operates on busier routes, ensuring uninterrupted transit service at night. Passengers can request stop for ONLY disembarking. Passengers can only embark at designated stop. * Free Transfer Program - Free Transfer between bus routes. Only applies when a customer paying using a gCard. * gMobile - Assigned on designated route, which are designed to be handicapped compatible. It is usually assigned to busier routes. * Transfer Program to The Linx - Implemented in 2010, passengers can enjoy discounted transfer between the Linx Subway and GRT services using a gCard. * gMobile Pro - Program featuring special bus routes dedicated for handicapped passengers. It is currently semi-operational on community buses / local routes. * School Special - Routes serving high school students during school "rush" hours. Category:Public Transit Operator *